Quarter-finals announced for National School Cup competitions
With the inspiresport Schools Conferences now concluded, we recap the outcomes of the competitions and look ahead to this week's quarter-finals as teams fight it out for a place at the coveted Cup finals event at BT Murrayfield in December.
Across the Cup, Shield, Plate and Bowl competitions, four quarter finals will play out for U18 and U16 age groups over the next week, with winners progressing to a semi-final.
In the U18 and U16 Cup quarter-finalists are comprised of the top six teams from the National 1 Conference and the winners in the National 2 West and National 2 East Conferences.
Boys U18 National Schools Cup
Finishing top of the Conference on an unbeaten run, George Watsons have claimed a home quarter-final against last season’s champions, Merchiston Castle, who finished up four points behind the hosts in the Conference.
National 2 West winners Hutcheson’s Grammar have been drawn against Strathallan, who finished in fifth place in the National 1 Conference. Hutcheson’s won all four of their Conference fixtures, finishing just one point ahead of St Aloysius’ College in the table.
Stewart’s Melville will face Dollar academy in their quarter-final. In their previous meeting in the Conference, Stewart’s Melville secured a 36-12 win over Dollar, but could the Clackmannanshire school take the all-important quarter-final win?
Finally, Loretto have been drawn against the Edinburgh Academy.
The Edinburgh side claimed four victories from six in the Conference to qualify for this year’s quart-finals, whilst Loretto enjoyed four wins from four in the East Conference for their qualifying spot.
QF1: Stewart’s Melville College v Dollar Academy
QF2: Loretto School v The Edinburgh Academy
QF3: Hutcheson’s Grammar School v Strathallan School
QF4: George Watson’s College v Merchiston Castle
Boys U16 National Schools Cup
Marr College topped the National 2 (West) Conference with homerun of five wins to secure a coveted quart-final spot. They have been drawn against Merchiston Castle School who finished in fourth place in National 1 based on points difference.
In quarter-final two, second placed Strathallan will face Fettes College. These two sides haven’t played each other since September, where Strathallan claimed a 7-36 win.
High School of Dundee topped the National 2 (East) table with four wins which saw them score 137 match points. They have been drawn against Dollar Academy who finished fifth in the National 1 Conference.
Finally, National 1 leaders Stewart’s Melville College will face third place George Watson’s College, who claimed the title last season.
QF1: Marr College v Merchiston Castle School
QF2: Strathallan School v Fettes College
QF3: High School of Dundee v Dollar Academy
QF4: Stewart’s Melville College v George Watson’s College
There are also quarter-finals in U18 and U16 Shield, Plate and Bowl competitions. The following quarter-finals have been drawn.
U18 National Shield
QF1: St Aloysius’ College v Fettes College
QF2: North Berwick High School v Robert Gordon’s College
QF3: The High School of Glasgow v Glenalmond College
QF4: Queen Victoria School v Kelvinside Academy
U16 National Shield
QF1: Kelvinside Academy v The Edinburgh Academy
QF2: Howe of Fife/Bell Baxter High School v Robert Gordon’s College
QF3: George Heriot’s School v The Glasgow Academy
QF4: North Berwick High School v The High School of Glasgow
U18 National Plate
QF1: Strathendrick/Balfron High School v High School of Dundee
QF2: The Glasgow Academy v George Heriot’s School
QF3: Marr College v Linlithgow Academy
QF4: Trinity Academy v St Columba’s (Kilmacolm)
U16 National Plate
QF1: Glenalmond College v Queen Victoria School
QF2: Loretto School v Ross High School
QF3: St Columba’s (Kilmacolm) v Lomond & Helensburgh
QF4: Hutcheson’s Grammar School v Linlithgow Academy
U18 National Bowl
QF1: Preston Lodge High School v Lenzie Academy
QF2: Dalkeith v Lomond & Helensburgh
QF3: Lasswade High School v Morrison’s Academy
QF4: Knox/Haddington v Howe of Fife/Bell Baxter High School
U16 National Bowl
QF1: Lasswade High School v St Leonards Madras Blues
QF2: Lenzie Academy v Berwick
QF3: Knox/Haddington v Dalkeith
QF4: Trinity Academy v Morrison’s Academy